Be My Girlfriend?
by Wulfeh
Summary: Neji asks Tenten for help...on asking out a girl! Of course, being the social idiot that geniuses are, he neglects to mention her name, much to Tenten's dismay. But now what does Hinata want? Can't a heartbroken girl get some peace and quiet? NejiTen
1. Chapter 1

**テンテン**

_Naruto and its characters belong to Kishimoto_

_! I wrote this while eating Chocolate...And listening to __**Good Charlotte**__ and __**Breaking Benjamin**_

"**I've liked you for Years"**

**Chapter I**

"Hey, Tenten," Neji called from across the clearing. He looked the same as ever, none the worse for wear despite the four years of Shinobi life under his belt.

The brown haired Kunoichi turned to face her teammate. "Hey."

The trees around them towered over the two teenagers.

"What's up?" Tenten asked, sensing the "un-Neji-like" aura around her companion as he drew nearer. After knowing each other for so long, hiding things from the other was nigh on impossible.

Neji shrugged, and then said, "I wanted to ask your opinion on something..."

"Advice?"

Neji nodded, "yeah,"

Tenten blinked, "this is unusual, you usually keep everything to yourself," she winked at him.

Neji scowled and turned away, annoyed. Tenten sat down, and patted the ground next to her, motioning for him to do the same. She grinned, "Go ahead and shoot, I'm listening."

The Hyuga boy sighed, plopping himself (rather ungracefully) down in the dirt beside her. "Well..."

"Spit it out, Tori."

"Fine." He paused for a moment, twitching his toes. He then continued, "There's this girl, who I've liked for years, okay?"

"Oh...okay" Tenten's voice was quiet.

"But I've been too..._scared_ to tell her. However, I just found out that she likes me back. I want to ask her out."

"And you don't kn-know how?" She gulped.

"Precisely."

"Wh... why ask me? I've _never_ been asked out," Tenten snapped, spitting out the bitter words. Neji looked startled by her tone. "Sorry," she muttered, rubbing her eyes, partly for show, "I just have a bad head ache." She was lying through her teeth, but what did it matter?

"'Kay..." Neji gave her another funny look, "but how do girls _want_ to be asked out?"

"I don't know your girl."

"Well," Neji began, voice pensive, thoughtful, "she's strong, and doesn't let anyone tell her what to do. She's violent when angry, yet incredibly gentle and kind," he said quietly. "And she's beautiful, breathtakingly beautiful..."

"She...she sounds...Really special..."

"She is," Neji agreed, "so I want to do it right, asking her out, I mean..."

The two sat in silence for a moment, the Tenten shook her head slowly, as if in resignation.

"Just tell her the truth...Don't try to be anyone but you. Just be normal...don't try to be romantic, cuz frankly, I cannot see you as the romantic type."

Neji snorted, "Me neither." He stood up, dusting off his pants and skirt. "Thanks, I don't know what I'd do without you..." He offered her his hand, but she refused it, turning her head away from him. She did not catch the hurt look that flashed across his pale, lavender eyes.

"I hope she says yes," she murmured, still not meeting his gaze, afraid that by moving her head in even the slightest would send the tears spilling over, drizzling down her face.

"So do I."

She waited until she was one hundred and ten percent sure that he was gone, before she stood up. Tenten gulped air, biting back tears. _It's my own fault... I should have asked him when I had a chance..._ She began the short walk back to her apartment; it took her longer than usual**.**

ネジ


	2. Chapter 2

**テンテン**

_Naruto and its characters belong to Kishimoto_

_! I wrote this while eating Chocolate...And listening to __**Good Charlotte**__ and __**Breaking Benjamin**_

"**I've liked you for Years"**

**Chapter II**

As she unlocked the door, and took a step inside, a single tear escaped, and slid down her face. It was soon followed by another, then another. The kunoichi slammed the door shut behind her. She leaned up against it, and sobbed quietly. Tenten slid down the doorframe, and stared blankly at the opposite wall.

It was then that the phone rang. She turned her head towards the sound, not quite reacting. Then, as if in a dream, she stood up, and moved mechanically in the thing's direction. She picked it up, placing it to her ear, "Hello?" She answered timidly, her voice quiet.

"_Tenten?"_

"Yeah, it's me..."

"_Oh, it's Hinata...Y-you s-sound mis- miserable.... Are you alr-right?"_

"Fine..."

"_Liar,"_ Hinata snapped.

"Listen, I don't feel well so – "

"_I n-need to talk t-to you, it's ur-urgent."_

Before Tenten could say anything Hinata added:

"_I'll see you for dinner at Nagoya in an hour, okay?" _Then she hung up.

"Wait! –"Too late, the humming sound droned in her ear, and with a grunt of irritation, Tenten threw the corded phone back on its base. "She'd better be paying; I can't afford that place..."

Tenten stormed to the small, cramped bathroom her cheap apartment featured. She may have been able to pay for a nicer one, but 70% of her earnings went to weapons...the purchasing of and care of the lovely Ninja Tools, which she adored so much. _I may not have a man, but at least my Instruments of Death will never break my heart_, she thought darkly. Tenten caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror (which had a crack running through the center due to a mishap with a hairdryer) she looked awful. Her eyes were red and puffy, and the tears had left little streaks of damp running down her face. "I need a shower..."

ネジ


	3. Chapter 3

**愛****テンテン****天**

_Naruto and its characters belong to Kishimoto_

_! I wrote this while eating Chocolate...And listening to __**Good Charlotte**__ and __**Breaking Benjamin**_

"**I've liked you for Years"**

**Chapter III**

When she finished drying her hair, she quickly whipped it up into her signature style, "Panda Ears" and, since she was going to a nice place to eat, she rummaged through her safe until she found a clip. It had a single pearl encased within a silver dragon's claw. It had belonged to her mother. As she walked into her bedroom, she glanced at the digital clock on her bedside table.

"Shoot, I've got less than 30 minutes," Tenten hurried to her closet, quickly rummaging through her (quite honestly, _pathetic_) wardrobe. Within a minute, she found a Chinese-styled blouse she liked and settled for a pair of brown, slim pants. "I can't believe I'm actually leaving my house," she forced a laugh, "I mean, if Hinata hadn't called, I probably wouldn't even eat tonight..." She pulled the blue brocade blouse over her shoulders, buttoning it up. When she reached the collar, she stopped. "Why am I even going to dinner? I doubt I could eat...," she mumbled, sitting on the edge of her bed, "Hinata said it was urgent...that she _needed_ to talk to_ me_...Ugh, I just wanna stay in. I feel awful." Tenten brightened up slightly as a thought crossed her mind. "If Hinata wants to _talk _to me, she can _listen_ to me too." Hinata was the one she could always turn to when she needed someone to listen. Maybe she would even find out who this girl that Neji fancied was... _Then I'll kill her..._ She thought calmly, and a cynical smirk danced across her lips. Besides, talking to Hinata would help her not to think about Neji...

Tenten stood up, finished getting ready, and left. She locked the door behind her and placed the key in her pocket. The warm summer air felt good, and a light breeze drifted across her bare arms. The sliver, metallic dragon running across her blouse shimmered in the setting sun. It took her a matter of 10 minutes to cross the non-crowded rooftops of Konoha. She stepped lightly enough, the families living in the houses would have no idea that a kunoichi had just dashed across their roof. In the eatery district of Konoha, she touched the ground again. Tenten walked calmly to a traditionally built restaurant building. The sign read:

It certainly seemed to be true; everyone knew that many foreign nobles came to Konoha in order to eat there. Tenten silently decided to order the least expensive thing on the menu, especially after she had counted the minimal coins in her wallet. "That'll cover a glass of water..." She muttered, turning more than slightly pink.

"Tenten-chan!"

Tenten looked up, and Hinata stood waving to her at the intricately decorated entrance.

Tenten waved back, and, forcing a smile, headed in Hinata's direction.

**平和**ネジ**生命**


	4. Chapter 4

**愛****テンテン****天**

_Naruto and its characters belong to Kishimoto_

_! I wrote this while eating Chocolate...And listening to __**Good Charlotte**__ and __**Breaking Benjamin**_

"**I've liked you for Years"**

**Chapter IV**

Once inside the Restaurant, Hinata lead Tenten in the direction of a tatami mat and traditional table. It had a "RESERVED FOR HYUGA" sign on it.

"You do realize that the only thing I can afford is a glass of water, right?" Tenten hissed, looking around her in dismay. Hinata glanced at Tenten, flashing a quick, shy smile at her, nodding.

"Th-that's okay..."

The two sat down, and Tenten, who had never felt more out of place in her life, looked at her knees. Her forehead protector was tied around her neck, (she never left home without it) and she wondered if people would give her funny looks. To her relief, Hinata was also wearing hers.

In the silence, her thoughts drifted back to the afternoon..._ "There's this girl, who I've liked for years..." "She's beautiful, breathtakingly beautiful..."_

Tenten shook her head, trying to clear it, but failed. In a desperate attempt, she began to speak to Hinata.

"What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

Hinata's gaze kept drifting between her and the door, the younger girl was fidgeting violently.

"Hinata, are you okay?"

Hinata's eyes snapped onto Tenten's, they were wide with anxiety.

"Err, wh-what was th-that?"

"You're...really jumpy."

"S-sorry." Hinata picked up her menu, but Tenten sensed that she wasn't really looking at it. "I have to use bathroom," the Hyuga said suddenly, springing up from her seat.

"O-okay?"

About three minutes later, Hinata came back looking slightly less flustered.

"The waiter should be here any minute," she said brightly, "And don't worry about the price, order anything you'd like."

Tenten knew perfectly well that Hinata had been going to say that, and she still intended to order the least expensive thing on the menu, other than water. That probably meant dumplings, which she loved, so it didn't bother her.

Tenten scanned the menu, and her mouth watered at the vast assortment of food. _Maybe, just this once, I'll order something a little more than the cheapest..._

While Tenten had been absorbed in the menu, Hinata had been looking frantically around the restaurant, searching for someone. Her eyes finally found them, and she blinked once as they headed over.

"Tenten," Hinata said, standing up. "Enjoy your dinner!"

Tenten looked up, blinking in confusion, "What?"

"See you later!" Hinata was already heading towards the exit.

"Hina –"

Then a voice whispered in her ear,

"I've liked you for years, but I've been too afraid to tell you. I found out yesterday that you liked me too..."

Tenten stiffened and her eyes widened. Her mouth dropped open slightly as Neji sat down across from her.

"Even when Hinata told me, I wasn't quite sure I believed her. In any case, I knew that you're not the 'flowers and chocolates' kind of girl, (though I'm sure you wouldn't say no to chocolate...). I hadn't the slightest idea of how to ask you out. Therefore, I asked _you_. I must be honest; you weren't as helpful as I'd hoped." He smirked. "Know what you're ordering? It's on me so go wild."

Tenten gaped at him, "B-but y-you said that she, she was beautiful..."

Neji laughed once, quietly. "And you are, aren't you?"

Tenten stared at him.

"Hn, you don't think you are, do you?"

She shook her head, and uttered a timid "no."

Neji smiled slightly, "I dunno, I've always thought that you were. Pretty face, ready smile..." He stared calmly at her, his face the polar opposite of how she felt inside. "I've never been one for girls who're all flamboyant with their looks. You never act like you're beautiful...I guess that's...that's why I think you are..." Neji shook his head, his silky black hair falling across his face. "You were the only one, for a long, long time, that I felt cared about _me_. You stuck with me, through everything. You're the best friend I ever had. I guess what I'm trying to say is...well, I really like you. And I meant what I said earlier, 'I don't know what I'd do without you,' that's true."

"I've liked you since the academy..." Tenten said quietly. "I wanted to be your friend from the moment I laid eyes on you, when we were eight. I guess I knew somehow that you needed one..."

"Hn...." Then, "what are you ordering? I'm getting fish soba, cuz it's really good here."

"Oh, I just wanted...something not so expensive..."

"Don't worry about it, seriously, I've been waiting to spend my Uncle's cash like this," he smirked, "and he can't get mad, since he's been pressuring me to relax and have fun, 'Neji,' he says, 'you can't spend you're days off as if you were still at work.'"

Tenten giggled, and Neji smirked.

"I'll do the ordering 'kay?"

"Kay...?"

A moment later, a short, balding man came to where they were sitting, bowed, apologized for the slow service, "**Nagoya** is unusually busy this night," and asked for their order.

"We'll take one plate of fish soba, one plate of dumplings, and a tray of sushi and sashimi to share, please."

The little balding man bowed again, and left.

"Since the academy, eh? That's a long time."

Tenten nodded, "I'm guilty of the same crime as you," she blushed slightly, "being scared. It's just...your friendship meant too much to me to risk on something like..."

"This?" He asked, gesturing around him.

Tenten nodded again.

"Well," Neji said quietly, "since I want to do things properly, and I never really asked... Will you be my girlfriend?"

Tenten smiled the smile that Neji loved so much, that beautiful smile that made him want to cry, it made him so happy...

"Yeah, I'll be your girlfriend," Then she added, "just don't go easy on me in training, or –"

"Or I'll be sorry, I know. I won't treat you any differently, okay?"

"Well, you can a little, if you want... I mean, we can hang out more, and you can pay for my food..."

"Now you're just using me."

Tenten smiled, and Neji smiled back.

**平和**ネジ**生命**


End file.
